Features

Our COVID Cocoon: The Parents Aren’t Alright (But Help May Be Coming)

The pending authorization of COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 is a light at the end of the quarantine tunnel.

COVID Immunity Through Infection or Vaccination: Are They Equal?

Evidence is growing that contracting SARS-CoV-2 is generally as effective as vaccination at preventing COVID-19.

Organ Centers to Transplant Patients: Get a COVID Shot or Move Down on Waitlist

A growing number of transplant programs are barring patients who refuse COVID vaccines or giving them lower priority on waiting lists.

A small town in West Virginia. Many rural residents must travel hours to see a health care specialist.

COVID Is Killing Rural Americans at Twice the Rate of Urbanites

High incidence of cases and low vaccination rates don’t fully capture why mortality rates are so much higher in rural areas.

Will ‘Dr. Disinformation’ Ever Face the Music?

A steady stream of spurious claims about COVID-19 vaccines and treatments swirl around the public consciousness.

Is My Cloth Mask Good Enough to Face the Coronavirus Delta Variant?

Mask guidance has been mixed since the dawn of the pandemic, and new research has altered conventional thinking.

I Got a “Mild” COVID Breakthrough Case. Here’s What I Wish I’d Known.

I’d put my breakthrough case of COVID right up there with my worst bouts of flu.

A Daily Pill to Treat COVID Could Be Just Months Away, Scientists Say

Short-term regimens could fight the coronavirus soon after infection and potentially prevent symptoms after exposure.

Scientists Examine Kids’ Unique Immune Systems as More Fall Victim to COVID

What protects most children from becoming seriously ill? And why does that protection sometimes fail?

Charlie Callagan at home in Merlin, Oregon

COVID-Overwhelmed Hospitals Postpone Cancer Care and Other Treatment

Hospitals are filling up with COVID-19 patients and other medical conditions are going untreated.

Over Half of States Have Rolled Back Public Health Powers in COVID-19 Pandemic

Public health academics and officials are frustrated that they, instead of the virus, have become the enemy.

Biden Releases a New Plan to Combat Covid, but Experts Say There’s Still a Ways to Go

On September 9, Biden announced a six-part plan to combat the delta variant and step up efforts to get control of COVID.

“Religious” Exemptions Add Legal Thorns to Looming COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

No major denomination opposes vaccination, but some people say COVID-19 shots go against their religious beliefs.

If the Unvaccinated Want to Work, They Face a Series of Hurdles

A growing number of employers are requiring workers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Concert Venues Are Banking on Proof of COVID Vaccines or Negative Tests to Woo Back Fans

The delta variant surge in July prompted renewed concerns about large gatherings, even at outdoor venues.

Medicaid COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Founder as States Struggle to Immunize Their Poorest Residents

“These are some of the hardest-to-reach populations and those often last in line for medical care.”